Ousainu Darboe Says UDP Split from President Barrow Over Alliance with APRC

By Makutu Manneh

Ousainu Darboe, leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has said the party’s break with President Adama Barrow stemmed from the president’s decision to align with the former ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC).

In an interview with DW Africa, Darboe described the move as unacceptable to core UDP members, emphasizing that political expediency should not come at the expense of principle.

“A party that you had fought against for 22 years—we find it incompatible to partner with them. It will be a betrayal of those who, over the years, have sacrificed for the party, have endured torture, and have endured exile. We cannot really hobnob with such a party, and I think this is really the parting point,” he said.

Darboe further alleged that the breakdown in relations was influenced by individuals seeking to undermine the UDP’s reform agenda.

Responding to a question on whether President Barrow was unwilling or unable to resolve the differences, Darboe said he could not conclude that reconciliation was impossible, but expressed doubts about the president’s sincerity.

He also raised concerns about what he described as early signals following Barrow’s 2016 electoral victory. According to Darboe, some of Barrow’s supporters began promoting the idea that, since former President Sir Dawda Jawara ruled for 30 years and Yahya Jammeh for 22 years, Barrow should similarly remain in office for at least 15 years.

“That was totally unacceptable to us because that was not the raison d’etre of the coalition arrangements. The coalition agreement was that there should be a transition government which will lay the ground for multi-party democracy to thrive in The Gambia and for the rule of law to take center stage in the country, he said.

Darboe maintained that the UDP’s support for Barrow in 2016 was driven by a shared national objective rather than personal ambition.

“We supported him because we believed he would deliver the change the country needed. It was never about individuals—it was a collective national agenda,” he said.